Appointments

The best time to book routine, non-urgent appointments is after 10:30 when the phones are less busy.

Appointments are of 10 minutes duration and we advised patients if you have more than one problem to discuss that you request a double appointment allowing you a 20 minute duration with the Doctor this will avoid delays for other patients waiting to be seen after.

We do offer urgent appointments with a doctor or the Minor Illness Practioner in the week and they are released at 8:15am for the morning and 13:30pm for the afternoon, this will not be possible to be with the doctor of your choice, they are with who we have available on the day.

Patients who wish to see a specific doctor, perhaps at a specific time will have to wait longer.

The doctors will start their surgeries on time and will try to see you on time, but delays may arise due to emergencies. You will not be kept waiting for more than 30 minutes without an explanation from a member of staff.

If you are unable to keep your appointment, or no longer require it, please inform the surgery in good time so that it may be offered to another patient. You can cancel your appointment out of hours by telephoning the surgery and selecting option 2. Patients who do not attend booked appointments waste Doctors and Nurses time.

Quality and outcomes framework (QOF)

As part of our quality management we may need to contact patients to come in for reviews for certain medical conditions.

Telephone Consultations

There are times when we are unable to offer you with a face to face appointment with a Doctor, however did you know that you can always have a telephone consultation with a Doctor. During this call the Doctor will decide if they feel that you need to be seen and will ask you to come to the surgery, you may be asked to sit and wait but you will be seen. Often the Doctor is able to help just by talking to you over the telephone.

Cancelling Appointments

Please phone the appointment line on 01234 849090 to cancel your appointment a minimum of 12 hours before is appreciated so we can offer the appointment to someone else.

Alternatively you can also cancel and re book your own appointments if you are signed up to use our Online Services.

Urgent Appointments

If you have an urgent medical problem such as conditions that have suddenly arisen or worsened you will always be consulted on the same day, either by an appointment or a telephone consultation.

Right to Express a Preference of Who You See

Within the practice you may normally choose which doctor or nurse that you see, but regrettably this may not be possible during holiday times or in an emergency.

Disabled Facilities

The surgery has access for disabled patients by providing a dedicated parking space in the car park, entrance for wheelchairs, doctors and nurses consulting rooms are on the ground floor. The patient’s toilet is also equipped for disabled patients. At present each consulting room is equipped with loop facilities for the deaf which can be activated on request.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.

Chaperone Policy

We are committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times. The safety of everyone is of paramount importance. Therefore all staff and patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. A clinician will always ensure a trained member of staff is available to act as chaperone.

Home Visits

Whilst we encourage our patients to come to the surgery, where we have the proper equipment and facilities available, we do appreciate this is not always possible. In this respect, if you do need a home visit, you can help us by calling reception before 10:30 on 01234 849090 (Option 2).

You may only request a home visit if you are housebound or are too ill to visit the practice. Your GP will only visit you at home if they think that your medical condition requires it and will also decide how urgently a visit is needed.

Home visits suitable:

¨Bed Bound

¨Terminally ill

¨Generally unwell and too poorly to visit the Surgery.

(This will be at the GPs discretion)

Home visits unsuitable:

¨No transport or money

¨Children

¨Young people and anyone who is mobile

¨Social reasons

Please inform the receptionist of any pets in the household, any parking access

issues and any potential risks to the visiting GP when requesting a visit.

Urgent Home Visits

The doctors will be informed immediately and will decide if a visit is needed or whether it would be more appropriate to call an ambulance for conditions such as chest pain, haemorrhage or sever shortness of breath or any stroke problem

PRACTICE

Confidentiality

We take confidentiality very seriously. We will not tell anyone about anything you tell us, or even that you have been to the surgery, without your consent.

While we would urge young people to involve their parents, we will not breach the confidentiality of the young by telling parents ourselves.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Under no circumstances will the practice tolerate abusive or aggressive language or behaviour, and we will take any steps necessary to protect patients and staff. Our zero tolerance will mean that we may request police attendance and any offending patient being removed from our register. Please be aware that telephone calls to the practice maybe recorded for training and monitoring purposes.

Removal from the Practice List

Violent or abusive behaviour will result in removal from the practice list. Should there be a breakdown in the Doctor/Patient relationship you will be removed from the practice list.

If you move out of our practice area you will be asked to register with another doctor. In each event you will be informed in writing of the reasons for the decision.

Compliments & Complaints

We aim to provide the best service possible, but there may be times when you feel that we have exceeded this or it has not happened; we welcome your feedback whether positive or negative and value your suggestions.

Please only use this form for comments about the practice and suggestions as to how we can improve our service to you. Medical matters and official complaints cannot be dealt with via this form. If you have a query regarding a medical matter please telephone reception to make an appointment to see the appropriate person.

If you do have a complaint, it should be made in writing and addressed for the attention of 'The Practice Manager'.

Practice Charter

These are the local standards set within this practice for the benefit of our patients. It is our job to give you treatment and advice. Following discussion with you, you will receive the most appropriate care, given by suitably qualified people. No care or treatment will be given without your informed consent. In the interest of your health it is important for you to understand all the information given to you. Please ask us questions if you are unsure of anything.

Our Resposibility To You:

We are committed to giving you the best possible service. People involved in your care will give you their names and ensure that you know how to contact them.

The surgery should be well signposted and the doctors’ or nurses’ names are indicated on their surgery doors.

We run an appointment system in this practice. You will be given a time at which the doctor or nurse hopes to be able to see you. You should not wait more that 30 minutes in the waiting room without receiving an explanation for the delay.

You will have access to a doctor rapidly in case of emergency. We will arrange a home visit as appropriate for those who are too ill or infirm to be brought to the surgery.

We will try to answer the phone promptly and to ensure that there is sufficient staffing available to do this. You should be able to speak to a doctor or leave a message for him/her by telephone.

If you have undergone tests or X rays requested by the practice, you should telephone for the results after waiting the required time as discussed with your gp. If you need an appointment following the tests, we will contact you to advise you to book an appointment if you have not already done so.

Patients will be treated as individuals and partners in their healthcare, irrespective of their ethnic origin or religious and cultural beliefs.

You have the right to see your health records, subject to limitations in the law. These will be kept confidential at all times.

Your Responsibility To Us:

Help us to help you.

Please let us know if you change your name, address or telephone number. You may be required to changed surgeries if you move out of our area.

Please advise us in good time if you cannot keep your appointment.

Ask for visits only when the patient is housebound or too ill to come to the surgery.

Remember you are responsible for your own health and the health of your children. We will give you our professional help and advice. Please act upon it.

The practice is charged for every attendance our patients make at A&E, Urgent Care Centre, Walk in Centre. Please use these services appropriately, and only when we are closed, unless it is a 999 emergency.

Patients who provide us with a mobile phone number will be sent automatic reminders for booked appointments and may be sent other information by text. Please advise the receptionist if you would prefer not to receive texts from the surgery.

Text Message Reminders

You can now register to receive information by text message on your phone regarding appointments and health care.

If you wish to register for this messaging service please fill out the consent form.

To protect patient confidentiality for young people, text messages will not be sent to patients under 16 years. This means that parents will not receive text reminders about their children's appointments.

"WHY DOES THE RECEPTIONIST NEED TO ASK WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?"

It is not a case of the receptionists being nosey!

Our receptionists are valued members of the Practice team and the Doctors here, as with many other Practices, have requested that Receptionists should ask patients 'why they need to be seen'.

Reception staff are trained to ask certain questions in order to ensure that you receive the most appropriate medical care, from the most appropriate health professional and at the most appropriate time.

Receptionists are asked to collect brief information from patients in order to:

Help Doctors prioritise home visits and phone calls

Ensure that all patients receive the appropriate level of care

Direct patients to see the Nurse or other healthcare professional rather than a Doctor where appropriate

Any information given by you is treated with the strictest confidence

The Practice would take any breach of confidentiality seriously and deal with it accordingly.

You can ask to speak to a Receptionist in private away from the reception desk if you are in the waiting room or you can complete a confidentiality form kept at reception.

Therefore please do not be offended when our receptionists ask you for brief information regarding the appointment of telephone call.

If, however, you feel your issue is very private and you do not wish to say what the problem is then this will be respected.